epilepsychronic neurological disorder characterized by sudden and recurrent seizures which are caused by excessive an absence or excess of signaling of nerve cells in the brain. Seizures may include convulsions, momentary lapses of consciousness, strange movements or sensations in parts of the body, odd behaviours, and emotional disturbances. Epileptic seizures typically last one to two minutes but can be followed by weakness, confusion, or unresponsiveness. Epilepsy is a relatively common disorder affecting about 40 million to 50 million people worldwide; it is slightly more common in males than females. Causes of the disorder include brain defects, head trauma, infectious diseases, stroke, brain tumours, or genetic or developmental abnormalities. Several types of epileptic disorders are hereditary. Cysticercosis, a parasitic infection of the brain, is a common cause of epilepsy in the developing world. About half of epileptic seizures have an unknown cause and are called idiopathic.

In 1981 the International League Against Epilepsy developed a classification scheme for seizures based on their mode of onset. This work resulted in the formation of two major classes: partial-onset seizures and generalized-onset seizures.

Partial-onset seizures

A partial seizure originates in a specific area of the brain. Partial seizures consist of abnormal sensations or movements, and a lapse of consciousness may occur. Epileptic individuals with partial seizures may experience unusual sensations called auras that precede the onset of a seizure. Auras may include unpleasant odours or tastes, the sensation that unfamiliar surroundings seem familiar (déjà vu), and visual or auditory hallucinations that last from a fraction of a second to a few seconds. The individual may also experience intense fear, abdominal pain or discomfort, or an awareness of increased respiration rate or heartbeat. The form of the onset of a seizure is, in most cases, the same from attack to attack. After experiencing the aura, the individual becomes unresponsive but may examine objects closely or walk around.

Jacksonian seizures are partial seizures that begin in one part of the body such as the side of the face, the toes on one foot, or the fingers on one hand. The jerking movements then spread to other muscles on the same side of the body. This type of seizure is associated with a lesion or defect in the area of the cerebral cortex that controls voluntary movement.

Complex partial seizures, also called psychomotor seizures, are characterized by a clouding of consciousness and by strange, repetitious movements called automatisms. On recovery from the seizure, which usually lasts from one to three minutes, the individual has no memory of the attack, except for the aura. Occasionally, frequent mild complex partial seizures may merge into a prolonged period of confusion, which can last for hours or days with fluctuating levels of awareness and strange behaviour. Complex partial attacks may be caused by lesions in the frontal lobe or the temporal lobe.

Studies of temporal lobe epilepsy have provided important insight into the neurological overactivity that is frequently associated with seizures. For example, defects in neurons have long been suspected to underlie most forms of epilepsy characterized by excess brain activity. However, investigations of temporal lobe epilepsy have revealed that abnormal swelling of neuronal support cells known as astrocytes, which serve important functions in regulating neuron activity, may actually give rise to this form of seizure. As a result, astrocyte abnormalities have become of significant interest in understanding the pathology of other forms of epilepsy as well as other types of neurological disease.

Generalized-onset seizures

Generalized seizures are the result of abnormal electrical activity in most or all of the brain. This type of seizure is characterized by convulsions, short absences of consciousness, generalized muscle jerks (clonic seizures), and loss of muscle tone (tonic seizures), with falling.

Generalized tonic-clonic seizures, sometimes referred to by the older term grand mal, are commonly known as convulsions. A person undergoing a convulsion loses consciousness and falls to the ground. The fall is sometimes preceded by a shrill scream caused by forcible expiration of air as the respiratory and laryngeal muscles suddenly contract. After the fall, the body stiffens because of generalized tonic contraction of the muscles; the lower limbs are usually extended and the upper limbs flexed. During the tonic phase, which lasts less than a minute, respiration stops because of sustained contraction of the respiratory muscles. Following the tonic stage, clonic (jerking) movements occur in the arms and legs. The tongue may be bitten during involuntary contraction of the jaw muscles, and urinary incontinence may occur. Usually, the entire generalized tonic-clonic seizure is over in less than five minutes. Immediately afterward, the individual is usually confused and sleepy and may have a headache but will not remember the seizure.

Studies measuring electric currents in the heart have demonstrated that some patients affected by tonic-clonic seizures experience abnormal cardiac rhythms either during or immediately after a seizure. In some cases the heart may stop beating for several seconds, a condition known as asystole. Asystole has been linked to a phenomenon called sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), which affects more than 8 percent of epilepsy patients and typically occurs in people between the ages of 20 and 30. The cause of SUDEP is not known with certainty. Scientists suspect that accumulated damage and scarring in cardiac tissue, caused by multiple, recurring seizures, has the potential to interfere with electrical conduction in the heart and thus precipitate SUDEP during a typical tonic-clonic seizure. In addition, genetic defects associated with epilepsy and abnormalities in heart function have been identified in families affected by both inherited epilepsy and SUDEP.

Primary generalized, or absence, epilepsy is characterized by repeated lapses of consciousness that generally last less than 15 seconds each and usually occur many times a day. This type of seizure is sometimes referred to by the older term petit mal. Minor movements such as blinking may be associated with absence seizures. After the short interruption of consciousness, the individual is mentally clear and able to resume previous activity. Absence seizures occur mainly in children and do not appear initially after age 20; they tend to disappear before or during early adulthood. At times absence seizures can be nearly continuous, and the individual may appear to be in a clouded, partially responsive state for minutes or hours.

Diagnosis

A person with recurrent seizures is diagnosed with epilepsy. A complete physical examination, blood tests, and a neurological evaluation may be necessary to identify the cause of the disorder. Electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring is performed to detect abnormalities in the electrical activity of the brain. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), or magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) may be used to locate structural or biochemical brain abnormalities.

Treatment

Most people with epilepsy have seizures that can be controlled with antiepileptic medications such as valproate, ethosuximide, clonazepam, carbamazepine, and primidone; these medications decrease the amount of neuronal activity in the brain. Brain damage caused by epilepsy usually cannot be reversed. Epileptic seizures that cannot be treated with medication may be reduced by surgery that removes the epileptogenic area of the brain. Other treatment strategies include vagus nerve stimulation, a diet high in fat and low in carbohydrates (ketogenic diet), and behavioral therapy. It may be necessary for epileptic individuals to refrain from driving, operating hazardous machinery, or swimming because of the temporary loss of control that occurs without warning.

Family and friends of an epileptic individual should be aware of what to do if a seizure occurs. During a seizure the clothing should be loosened around the neck, the head should be cushioned with a pillow, and any sharp or hard objects should be removed from the area. An object should never be inserted into the person’s mouth during a seizure. After the seizure the head of the individual should be turned to the side to drain secretions from the mouth.